“What else can I do Karl? Today another one took our last seat and sat, using our wifi without purchasing a thing. And that chap, the nice one that always buys the sticky bun and coffee and gives the girls a tip… as there was no seat he went next door.”

“C’mmon Rebekka. Smile. It’ll be okay. I’ve new seats coming today.”

Karl stood behind the counter watching the man eating food he’d bought elsewhere. “Should’ve read the note on the table mate” he muttered as he pressed the button. The ejector seat worked perfectly. Karl’s smile was gleeful.

May 24, 2016 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that changes with a smile. It can be a character, tone, setting or any creative use of smile. You can go deep and consider motive and influence, or you can light up the world with a brilliant flash (of teeth as well as fiction). And smile, because your writing matters and is not hostage to your level, experience or circumstances.

Respond by May 31, 2016 to be included in the weekly compilation.Rules are here. All writers are welcome!

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About Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

I began my working career as a reluctant potato peeler whilst waiting to commence my training as a student nurse. On completion I worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing my hospital career as clinical nurse educator in intensive care. A life changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered I was no farmer and vowing never again to own an animal bigger than myself I took on the Barrington General Store. Here we also ran a five star restaurant. Working the shop of a day 7am - 6pm followed by the restaurant until late was surprisingly more stressful than Tanna. On the sale we decided to retire and renovate our house with the help of a builder friend. Now believing we knew everything about building we set to constructing our own house. Just finished a coal mine decided to set up in our backyard. Definitely time to retire we moved to Queensland. I had been writing a manuscript for some time. In the desire to complete this I enrolled in a post grad certificate in creative Industries which I completed 2013. I followed this by doing a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now I live to write and write to live.

11 Responses to Unwanted customers: 99 Word Flash Fiction

I used to work at a major bookstore whose cafe had the same problem. People would buy a coffee and sit for hours, reading – and ruining – books and magazines, using the wifi, hoarding an entire table for one person. The store closed at 11 PM, the last customers often being the cafe freeloaders. One night an angry customer came up to me (I was a cashier) demanding to know why the store refused to stay open later since he wanted to remain. He hadn’t bought more than his one coffee and there were about ten employees working that night. I wanted to tell him it was a bookstore, not a free motel. Would I have loved an ejection seat for this guy.

Ha! Love it. I didn’t see the ejector seat coming. It must be so frustrating to those proprietors who provide so much for their paying guests, only to be overrun by those taking advantage. Maybe cafe will start charging for parking too. It just seems rude to take up the space and not purchase anything. Overheads must be high.

It is tough when working in retail to be nice to everyone. In a sightly different vain – when I was working we were told the ‘Ten Foot’ rule applied. Any one withing ten feet you had to stop what you were doing, and ask if they needed help. One day a gal who must have just gotten up on the wrong side of the bed started chewing me out. ‘If I wanted help I would have asked for it!”. What some folks don’t realize is that that offer to help is also in place to distract thieves. As a sales clerk you can’t stop or even accuse a thief. But you can ‘service’ them so they get frustrated and walk out without stealing.

It is part of the cost of doing business and offering free wi-fi that a place will get ‘free-loaders’.
One place I saw – I think it was in NY City had a pay computer. And would just shut off when your time ran out. Not sure how much cash that would bring in?

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Irene Waters

I began my working career as a reluctant potato peeler whilst waiting to commence my training as a student nurse. On completion I worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing my hospital career as clinical nurse educator in intensive care. A life changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered I was no farmer and vowing never again to own an animal bigger than myself I took on the Barrington General Store. Here we also ran a five star restaurant. Working the shop of a day 7am - 6pm followed by the restaurant until late was surprisingly more stressful than Tanna. On the sale we decided to retire and renovate our house with the help of a builder friend. Now believing we knew everything about building we set to constructing our own house. Just finished a coal mine decided to set up in our backyard. Definitely time to retire we moved to Queensland. I had been writing a manuscript for some time. In the desire to complete this I enrolled in a post grad certificate in creative Industries which I completed 2013. I followed this by doing a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now I live to write and write to live.